268 FLOWERS OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE 
in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris from seeds which Father d’Incarville, 
a Jesuit missionary, had sent from China. On reference to Plate 133 
the natural form of the flower will be seen above the other figures. 
This, it will be observed, is similar in structure to that of Michaelmas 
Daisy, the strap-shaped or “ray ”-florets being confined to the cireum- 
ference of the flower, the centre or “disk” being occupied by regular, 
tubular flowers. The French horticulturists set themselves to turn all 
these disk-florets into ray-florets, and we see the results of their labour 
in Truffaut’s Perfection and Peony-flowered Asters. Of course, English 
and German growers have co-operated in this work, but the chief praise 
is due to France. Fortunately, with this “doubling” process, as it i8 not 
very accurately termed, the flowers have remained fertile, and produce 
seeds that grow into plants with similar flowers to those of the parent. 
The garden forms may be divided into two chief classes: I. PyRAMIDAL; 
II. QUILLED. These are subdivided into smaller sections, of which the 
following are the principal :— 
TRUFFAUT’S PEONY-FLOWERED. Flower-heads large, hemispheric, 4 
inches across, with petals incurved towards the centre; the plants about 
2 feet high. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM-FLOWERED. Flower-heads like Chrysanthemums, 
with petals curving outward from the centre; plants about 1 foot 
igh. 
IMBRICATE-FLOWERED. Flower-heads of very regular form, the 
petals recurved like the last: brilliantly coloured, but producing seed 
sparingly ; 2 feet high. 
Dwarr Bovgurr. Very free bloomers, about a foot high, each 
plant producing so large a number of flower-heads that it looks like a 
well-disposed bouquet. 
Crown Asters. . Flower-heads large, flat, the disk-florets differing 
in colour and shape from those of the circumference, which alone are 
rayed. Height from 12 to 18 inches. : 
Victoria Asters. Flower-heads globular, inner florets overlaying 
the outer; in various bright colours; 4 inches across. Plant of pyt® 
midal habit, about 1 foot high. Ten to twenty flower-heads on @ 
plant. 
BETTERIDGE’S Prize AsTERs. These are favourites for show 
purposes, but as they are of less compact habit than the other sections, 
are not so suitable for general garden use. 
ieee Asters are widely grown in gardens without much 
consideration as to soil, but to get the best results from 
them they should be planted in loam enriched by liberal manuring- 
